IN APPRECIATION — Gary Weist, owner of Get 'er Done Weist, was given a Certificate of Appreciation at the City Council meeting held Aug. 1. Weist voluntarily eliminated the dead trees within the City of Conrad. Presenting the award is Rich Anderson. I-O Photo by Buck Traxler

By Buck Traxler, I-O Editor

Just a swipe of your wrist with a credit card will pay your city bill whether it be a fee for a building permit or paying your water bill.

Mayor Wendy Judisch commented that, “More and more people are interested in using a card to pay city bills.”

The company the city will use will not charge the city and will provide them with a card machine. The card using customer however will be assessed a three percent fee.

This is not a new idea, cities like Columbus and Laurel use a card system and the county has accepted credit card payments for about five years.

In other action the city approved a request for $5,000 from the library to be used in their book fund. The money will come from the Genevieve Rankin Anderson Foundation.

Readers may recall that earlier the library had to use money from their book fund to pay emergency furnace repairs when water seeped into their basement. The Rankin Foundation has about $17,000 in it.

The aldermen approved the hiring of Ted Thornton as a new police officer and approved a contract with Kyle Harlin of Inspections Services IX LIC. He will receive 75 percent of a permit fee and the city receives 25 percent. This is a schedule set up by the state.

Three items were set aside (tabled) until the next council meeting. These issues deal with an appointment of a physician for law enforcement evaluations, possible action on a CDBG drawdown and action on a KLJ contract for the East Industrial Park.

A public hearing has been set for Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. in city hall. The purpose is to adopt the formal budget for the coming fiscal year.

The next regular council meeting will be Sept. 5, 7:30 p.m. in city hall at 411-1/2 S. Main.

The public is always invited to attend and view their government at work.